The producers behind the long-running Stargate franchise seem to be just about as bummed out as we are that the Stargate SG-1 and Atlantis DVD movies announced so long ago haven’t come to fruition yet. (“Where are those d@&* movies?” has officially surpassed “When are we going to see the Furlings?” as the most asked question we receive from readers.)

The gist: In spite of the demise of the direct-to-DVD market and MGM’s own financial strife, don’t count the Stargate movies out yet.

“The only thing that is blocking the SG-1 movie or the Atlantis movie, the only thing, is the fact that the direct-to-DVD market has gone away,” Wright said. “We were very fortunate with Ark of Truth and Continuum to be among the last very successful direct-to-DVD releases before it all stopped happening. The market has changed, and it’s still changing, and it’s not what it was. And, of course, there have been very big changes at MGM that kind of added to that.

“But we had the intentions to make them. We were ready to go, and it was ‘Wait a while’ and ‘We should wait a little longer’ — and the climate never got better. We held on to a lot of stuff and were ready to go for a very long time, but that doesn’t mean it’s not gonna happen. We have a plan B, and I’ve been talking with MGM about it, and hopefully we’ll still get our chance.”

Visit TV Deathray to find the complete interview, in which Wright also talks about Season Two of Stargate Universe and the big Atlantis crossover episode coming in the second half of the season!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Darren created GateWorld in 1999, and today is the owner and managing editor. He lives in the Seattle area with his wife and three children. (More)

The Big Question is: What is plan B?
I’m guessing Brad is going to try to convince Syfy to pay the total amount for making the movies since MGM is broke; like what they are doing with SGU…but what do I know.

And what is the news here? TPTB are saying all the time, that the SG1 and SGA movies will be made someday in the future. But they still don’t exist and I don’t think they ever will. After countless empty promises, I am going to assume, they will never be made, until they start to shoot the movies.

I was thinking that Plan B could be to convince MGM to sell the rights to the movies to a company that can start filming right away, but the idea of convincing Syfy to pay to get them filmed is plausable too.. it’s almost the same thing though Syfy is a NBC/Universal company and I heard somewhere (can’t remember where) that NBC/Universal would be interested in buying the franchise if MGM sells.. who knows.. I just hope the movies get made soon! I want a conclusion to Atlantis!

What about Direct-to-disk ? ;-)
People come with their hard drive to the store and get a full definition and DRM-free movie to enjoy.
Some are doing this in some french cinemas, it’s called “video en poche” : http://www.videoenpoche.info/
No need to press or burn and ship DVDs ;-)

@psw: I think the new development in these comments is that the direct-to-DVD (or Blu-ray, i.e. home “video”) market isn’t just down — and MGM will be more willing to green-light the Stargate movies once it comes back up. It’s that that particular market is dead as a primary distribution channel. (So we all got lucky that AOT and Continuum were made in that short window when it was viable.)

It’s interesting to speculate what the alternatives might be. Either you go traditional, and get the network to foot a bigger portion of the bill (licensing fee, the same way SGU gets paid for) — or you go untraditional and come up with an online business model you think will pay for the (probably lower) production costs.

Why not make something like a 3 or 6 episode mini-series event? SyFy and MGM could foot the bill. They could still release to DVD or paid subscription on internet after the mini-series airs. Big problem with on-line is pirating.

So what Brad is saying is contrary to what Joe Said? “No Chance of Movies being made if SGU Tanks”. So is this another “carrot”, or a pie-in-the-sky Statement to pique the interest of the fast dissapearing SG Fandom? stats certainly does not show the “add 1.6 mil to already existing 1.6mil” scenario when it was hard pressed 90% of the time to get that original 1.6mil to watch.

This is just another example of a company slow or not willing to change with the times.

As jon889 pointed out, its gone to a direct to download market and MGM seems stuck in a mindset that it must be DVD sales or nothing. Off hand I can think of several online avenues that they could use to host the film.

1. Netflix: this is the most obvious. They could do both the DVD rental approach and the instant.

2. Zune: Through the Xbox 360, there is a huge liberary of videos to choose from.

3. Im not sure what the other consoles use but im sure they have similar services.

I really doubt any remaining star gate movies will be made unless MGM is willing to get rid of its current mindset when it comes to DVDs.

To be fair, I think it’s not so much a matter of shaking loose a mindset about physical media sales as it is making sure that this very new business model is going to work.

Studios are accustomed to Netflix, Zune, Hulu, iTunes, Amazon, etc. being gravy on top of the DVD sales. To support a multi-million dollar production based solely on what has heretofor been residual (if ever-increasing) requires a whole lot of math, spreadsheets, and contracts with service providers.

I think Plan B will entail fan contribution.
We, the fans, can purchase “bonds” in the movie up to the slotted price of a DVD. So in theory a fan like me can contribute $1-$20, and once the movie hits the shelves, I get whatever I put in off my copy. So if one were to purchase a $10 bond, the DVD will only cost another $5 to $10.
Each movie can have its own bond, so someone who is itching to see a resolution to Atlantis, but can’t stand Claudia Black can still have their say.
I know, bonds should generate a profit through interest, but I think we would all take just the movies being made. . . and maybe an autographed copy.

I can’t see them being made and I question the motive behind the sudden discussion of them at this time.

I would much rather see a short broadcast+DVD mini-series made somewhat similar to what was done with the BB5 follow-on, Crusade and their movies, than some 90 minute flash in the pan — that’s all folks terminal Stargate effort. But I’ve read too many times that we’ve all growed up and moved on from the old Stargate to expect much more from Bridge Studios now.

A mini series with a tie in to all 3 shows would be awesome. Especially with all the actors from the previuos shows moving on to to other projects it would give them a way to compensate if certain people aren’t available. And since they still haven’t brought the Furlings into it, why not now? it would be a good way to tie them all together.

Could someone please explain to me why “…the direct-to-DVD market has gone away”? They have a pretty good idea how the DVDs will sell based on past sales of ‘Arc Of Truth’ and ‘Continuum’. So what’s the problem? And what is this “Plan B”, anyway? Also, is a mini-series out of the question? I’m not an industry insider (obviously) but it seems that if they really wanted to make movies, they’d have done so already.

P.S.
I happen to like Claudia Black.
What’s not to like?

P.P.S.
While I have your attention (or not), it seems to me that a person’s opinion on the various aspects of Stargate is heavily dependent on gender and age. Knowing where an opinion comes from puts the entire comment in perspective. I can do this in a face-to-face conversation but here in the forums, I can’t tell if I’m reading the opinions of a 45-year-old-man of a 15-year-old girl. And, yes, it makes a difference, a HUGE difference.

Lets hope plan B works. Have been looking forward to a third SG1 moving since Continuum. and would like to finally see Atlantis properly concluded. :)
As a fan who was disapointed with season1 of Universe this is really great news to hear they haven’t given up hope entirely. Really miss SG1 and Atlantis. :(

I’m 28, male.
Honestly, I’m offended you need to know someone’s age and sex to decide if you should take their comments seriously. And no matter the gender or age, there is some stereotype we can think of to rationalize not taking them seriously anyway.

I am the same as everyone else, wondering what this plan B is, I got the feeling it either telling the movies stories through SGU over several seasons, which is really the simplest way to get the stories done out to the public.
Or some new finance method, either Syfy funding the production or perhaps someone else taking on the finance risks of producing the movies, the producers themselves or a other party.
I do not see a on-line company like Netfix getting into making there own productions an risk there relationship with the studios.

Hello folks, I just wanted to say a few things real fast. I as well as many of you enjoy stargate a bunch and many like me probably have watched it since it started. I think it is sad that the truely imagination driven shows,movies ect seem to never get the support that say…dancing with the stars gets. It is inventive shows like stargate that help inspire our future scientists and considering the sad shape our planet is in, we need all the science we can muster. That being said I truely hope that the new movies find a way to happen and I thank all the people behind stargate that have done such a fine job!!!

While it is good news that Brad still has the movies on his mind, I have to say I’m not hopeful. The movies have become a lure to long time fans, ‘a don’t leave us yet – we have those movies we promised’ comment that has become a thing in it’s own right. Not making them but not killing them either is probably keeping some fans hanging on. If you were worried about your fan base, wouldn’t you do the same?

If they can only make one movie I would prefer Atlantis be the one that gets the dollars. As a long time fan myself I don’t feel the same push for an SG-1 movie because that story does feel finished in some respects by the other movies, but Atlantis is another thing entirely. They drop the city in the middle of San Fran bay and that’s it? If that is supposed to be the end, then way to kill that franchise of Season 1 to 5 sales, producers! Can’t they just do a Farscape and make us a mini series to give us a conclusion? I’m sure that revitalised sales of the entire Farscape DVD set (I know I bought mine after I was assured there would be an ending!) Who wants to buy something, watch 100+ episodes and then go … oh, it’s not done? What the?

I agree with whoever asked why MGM think the direct to DVD market is dead for Stargate movies. As a fan I have no information or interest in what other DVDs people are buying but I know that I would have bought the Stargate movies just as I bought the last ones. I suspect many other SG fans would have done the same. The direct to DVD market in general might be dead but that doesn’t mean the market for individual franchises is also dead.

At the end of the day this is going to become a practical, ‘get with reality’ thing, because the sad truth is that people get older and they move on, and trying to put actors into roles they last did what is probably going to be five or more years ago will just not be viable.

perhaps the plan b is that they will try and put it in the cinamas so it won’t be going direct to dvd, im not sure about the rest of the world but it has never come in the cinimas were i live and if it did then maybe that will attract a wider audience of people making more money.

@Deep Like Daniel I said nothing about “taking them seriously”. I said “puts the entire comment in perspective”. Not the same thing at all. For example, young girls tend not to like the Vala Mal Doran character because she has the attention of “their Daniel”. This kind of thing came out in surveys they used to take here on this forum. So I’m just stating a fact. Don’t shoot the messenger. And again, yes, it makes a big difference.

Now this is the last I’m going to say on the subject. It appears that one cannot express an opinion here because someone may interpret it the wrong way and “get offended”. So you can have the last word, Mr. “Deep”.

Apologies for saying so, but this is not a particularly good article. You read the headline and decide to open up the article to find out about this “Plan B”, however nowhere in this article (at least the bits posted here on GW) does it say anything about what this Plan B actually is.

Why bother posting an article about Plan B and then make no mention about what Plan B actually is… sigh.

I really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really hope that the movies come, especially SGA. The series ended quite abruptly, so it will be nice to have it properly ended. I hope they do eventually go back to the Pegasus galaxy because they still have some unfinished business to attend to (the wraith.) I mean poor people in the Pegasus galaxy……like what happens to them? Do the wraith take over???? And those weird alien green guys back in the episode with the Daedalus going to other universes, are they in the Pegasus galaxy???? I mean if Atlantis is going to commit to Pegasus they should do it. (Cause Woolsy said that they will commit more in the episode where Sheppard’s team was captured and put on trial.) That’s why I hope the movie comes: it will answer some questions.

Personally I do not want the movies to be written by the current writing team as they have messed up big time with sgu and I do not want them to trash the much loved previous series that they are so fond of disrespecting at the moment in their interviews and blogs. The timing of this announcement is also a bit suspect. Why bring up the movies just as S2 of sgu gets terrible ratings?

mgm knows what the dvd sales are and will be for another movie.
i could care less about a resolution for atlantis but i do like claudia black and think she adds quite a bit to the sg-1.
yeah, the bond idea will fly when pigs do.
there is some money deal happening. most probably mgm wants to remain uncommited so they can sell their holdings for a better price.

Im older and dont have a computor at home (yet)so I want the dvd.whats a furling? NO crossovers with sgu they cant handle the funning and greater actors/actress of SG1 & SGA. sorry sgu is just to bleak.

Seriously? I hope this never happens. I was very disappointed by the way SGA was ruined starting from Season 4 and I don’t want to see any further damages. I prefer to remember my favourite characters the way they were, thanks.

Call me cynical, but the timing of these comments smack of a desperate ‘carrot’ to get fans watching SGU.

@Rob24 lol…I’m guessing the :P = sarcasm! I highly doubt a SGA or SG1 movie depends on SGU getting an s3 or we would have had these movies by now. It’s just an ineffective ploy to get people to keep watching. Not to mention SG1 & SGA’s ratings were much higher then the disaster that is SGU (cant blame it on the new time slot as Warehouse 13 pulled in 2.4million only a week before, and SGU will no doubt slip to even lower ratings).

The sets are gone, the props and costumes sold, which means a MASSIVE expense to recontruct them. The actors have moved on and are unlikely to be available at the same time, so scheduling will be a nightmare. It’s been years, I’m sure the movies were realistically abandoned long ago (for SGA I doubt they had any real intention to make it happen). This is just another desperate ploy, hence the lack of any tangiable info, just hollow promises.

Unfortunately, I think you are correct. When they start selling the props, it’s probably done and I also agree that they are probably lying to the fan base just to get them to watch SGU. It is interesting they say they are still trying to do this when, if you go to the industry news publications, MGM can’t even finish it’s current movies right now much less commit to anything new. They can’t even green light a James bond flick. Until, MGM is bought or otherwise disposed of, nothing new is going to happen. The only reason SGU is on TV is because SyFy is fully funding it.

The real nightmare is if someone buys MGM that isn’t a Sci-Fi fan. It appears that Spyglass Entertainment is the likely purchaser. Some reports, wikipedia, indicate they have already signed letters of intent.

That could be good for the franchise. They co produced Star Trek with Paramount. However it might mean new show runners and writers as well. That might not be a bad thing but if it is possible to keep the current team just give us more content to watch, that would be fine.

It could also be very bad and they could shelve everything until they get their Star Trek movies done.

Plan B is likely to get MGM to sell their interest in the entire franchise. MGM is looking to unload some of their properties. There’s always a chance of coming up with new ones if they can survive, so holding onto them when they can’t afford to do anything with them has little value.

Considering Syfy’s new ratings-only-interest (wrestling? seriously?), I highly doubt, particularly with SGU’s failing numbers, that they’d be interested in footing the bill. Each Stargate movie would probably cost as much as 10 or more of their horrible movies but I don’t know that they could actually get 10 times the numbers. Again, Stargate was never a hugely popular franchise and marketing for movies vs. shows is much different. They can’t prove to prospective advertisers that the interest is there when the most recent incarnation is starting to fail.

One possibility is Showtime. It is where SG1 first found a home and they are looking for new properties as they’ve since better learned how to deal with a show versus a movie.

I would like to be able to believe what I’m reading here, but as the saying goes. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. I won’t deny hoping that something will eventually happen, the diehard fan in me won’t let me completely stop hoping, but I’m not holding my breath. To me this sounds like an attempt to keep the original and quickly depleting fanbase hanging on even if it’s only by a thread. Sadly its not going to work. A lot of the original fanbase has just given up completely. And some, like me, only check in once in a great while out of what now feels like ill placed loyalty. If they want to “draw us back into the fold” so to speak, they’re going to have to start showing some actual progress on the movies. A lot of fans are tired of lip service, they want results.

Just a sad state of affairs all around. I too still enjoy playing my SG1 & SGA dvds over and over and miss the crap out of them! I’ve moved on a bit with Eureka & Caprica (I liked BSG too), but the way SGA ended was really awful. At least there was 5 seasons, look at Firefly, which was so awesome and only got 1 season and a movie to wrap things up. I’ve tried watching SGU, but can’t really get into it. It’s kind of depressing and I like my Sci Fi with a dose of humor. I even started working on a story about how Atlantis gets back to the Pegasus galaxy. Oh well, with the plan B there’s still possibly a tiny window of the movies getting done, but very little hope. It was terrific while it lasted and I’ll keep re-watching my dvd’s. Wow, this is my tv life. Sad.

Why dosn’t MGM put out a vote on thier web site about the three moive asking us fans it we want to down load the moives off the net or buy them on DVD…. for me it would be buying them on DVD. Plus it would give MGM an idea on how many stargate fans there are. where i’m from there going to be a law coming soon where no one can down load any moives or programes off the net. If any one get caught. they lose thier compter/lap and get a big fine for it. Our country is trying to crack down on these down loads even if it was payed for. So the only way we will be able to get our fav shows and moives is to buy them on DVD